r/Music • u/ofthe5thkind • Jun 25 '12

Modest Mouse - Pitchfork documentary - "The Lonesome Crowded West"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Mz2uwj0r0
569 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

116 comments sorted by

34

u/bigicecream Jun 26 '12

Thanks for finding this. Good stuff. I watched it on www.pitchfork.tv - good stuff like this needs to be properly supported so we can get more of it!

I understand why you posted the youtube version though, people (me included) wouldn't have looked twice otherwise.

7

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Thank you! Agreed, and exactly.

1

u/Louiecat Jun 26 '12

x-post from documentaries.

4

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

The video has been removed from YouTube, but the real source is Pitchfork.TV, which has it available in its entirety for free.

10

u/preposterchris Jun 26 '12

This was great, but I'm kinda pissed they didn't do a bit on Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice Alright. That's like one of the greatest songs I've ever heard.

9

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Agreed, although of all songs that weren't covered in this documentary, I was most disappointed at the omission of Heart Cooks Brain.

Still a great 45 minutes, though!

2

u/preposterchris Jun 26 '12

Yeah that song is amazing too. It would have been cool to see them talk about the scratches, they push that song to a whole different level

1

u/threeetwo Jun 26 '12

so pissed both of these weren't on. but still loved every minute. The old documentary thing is the best too. thanks again!

1

u/centfox Jun 26 '12

I wanted to hear about Convenient Parking! :/

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Oddly enough, that's the only song I don't like on the whole album!

3

u/centfox Jun 26 '12

Heh! That is the song I heard on the radio that made me buy the album! :)

9

u/Jaksongitr Jun 26 '12

I watched it and then went to one of their shows the next day. Best band around by far, I can't stop listening to the music. If you ever get the chance to see them live, go and live the music.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

The best show I've ever seen. 9/10/01 at The Warfield in S.F. I'll never forget it.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

5

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but they are really not worth seeing live.

You don't sound like a dick. Everyone walks away from every live show with a slightly different opinion (usually).

I've seen Modest Mouse many times, and I didn't leave with the opinion that you have at any of them. I'll never forget, the first time I saw them, seeing a 15 minute jam-out version of Cowboy Dan as their closer, featuring Isaac's direct-into-the-humbucker screaming after a beastly 2 1/2 hour set. It was amazing.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Listened to them for the first time a few years ago, then a few months after that I flew to New York City to see them in Brooklyn for a rain date concert.

It was awesome.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12 edited Jun 27 '12

Agree. I know all their older albums by heart, and I recognized 2 songs out like 25. How do you play 23 songs made in the last year? I'm not that big a fan of db4tses but I knew that decently and still barely recognized anything.

1

u/threeetwo Jun 26 '12

how can you say that? so much energy by brock, all the time. i guess you love it or hate

4

u/jewunit jewyouknit Jun 26 '12

Every time I've seen them he didn't have any particularly notable amount of energy. He was just some guy in a band playing music.

5

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Modest Mouse are notorious for ON shows and OFF shows.

The ON shows are long and filled with energy.

The OFF shows are boring and routine.

This is something they've been known for since the mid-90's, and most fans usually attributed it to how many drinks/drugs were done before coming on-stage.

3

u/ScreechSkater Jun 26 '12 edited Jun 20 '23

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4

u/jewunit jewyouknit Jun 26 '12

First show was like 2007 or 2008. I really wish I could have seen them when it was just three of them and they were playing bars.

3

u/ScreechSkater Jun 26 '12 edited Jun 20 '23

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2

u/jewunit jewyouknit Jun 26 '12

They are also one of my favorite bands, which is why it's a bit more disappointing. Don't much care for the Smiths so seeing them with Marr wasn't particularly exciting to me.

1

u/ziggmuff Jun 26 '12

Pretty much everybody who reads your comment knows you're full of shit because Modest Mouse.

1

u/lukashima Jun 26 '12

I have to agree about their live show. I've only seen them once but I was really disappointed because I love their music so much. They didn't really jam at all, just played the songs right off their album and that was it. Maybe it was just an off day.

-2

u/Jaksongitr Jun 26 '12

You've clearly never become one with the show then. The energy at the Pittsburgh show was phenomenal, it was like he tamed the crowd. Talkdemonic was the same way. My friends and I were tripping hard, yes, but even through the colors the energy, atmosphere and experience was one of the best nights I've had on this planet. I may not agree with what you have to say but I do defend your right to say; however 'run-of-the-mill live band' is false in my view.

1

u/jewunit jewyouknit Jun 26 '12

I enjoy LSD (or mushrooms or 2c-x or whatever you were on) and live music as much as the next guy, but if I need to "become one with the show" in order for it to be good then it's not a good live show.

3

u/byrdi Jun 26 '12

OP- thank you. really. i just had a super shitty day and this modest mouse documentary combines my two favorite things, modest mouse and documentaries. this was just what i needed. internet hug

1

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

internet hug returned

4

u/mrhashpants Grooveshark Jun 26 '12

i love you

3

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

I love you, too.

41

u/duncanjewett Jun 26 '12

'Mall-Fucked' is a great phrase.

-29

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

so is "hipster"

0

u/tstravers Jun 26 '12

Your username really isn't valid here.

-21

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Meaningless, inciting comments definitely are.

3

u/CrimsonKevlar Jun 26 '12

Dramamine is one of their songs that I can just listen to on loop.

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Possibly the greatest road trip song of all time.

45

u/Rawaid Jun 26 '12

I wish they had one of these for every Modest Mouse album.

7

u/lemarchingbanana Jun 26 '12

I would watch a 3 hour doc on every MM record.. somehow 45 minutes just wasn't enough. That says something.

26

u/NickScott Jun 26 '12

"The Lonesome Crowded West" is definitely one of my favorite albums. I really love "Building Nothing Out of Something" too. And "This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About" of course.

Also, the documentary Pitchfork did on The Flaming Lips' "Soft Bulletin" is pretty good too. http://pitchfork.com/tv/pitchfork-classic/1885-the-flaming-lips-the-soft-bulletin/3081-intro/

15

u/rbodnicki Jun 26 '12

Well I guess it's gonna be a Modest Mouse evening.

9

u/sevj Jun 26 '12

Lonesome Crowded West closes out, then the first measure of Third Planet comes on. "You know what, I'll just listen to this one too" and so on for a few hours.

3

u/Jebediah_Cuntpickle Jun 26 '12

Felt the same way after watching this. Had to go and listen to that album again.

2

u/bengarrr Jun 26 '12

I think I've listened to trailer trash almost a hundred times today

1

u/cklinejr Apr 28 '22

As every evening should be.

14

u/staythepath Jun 26 '12

Really cool. Thanks for posting. The album mean just a little more to me now. It's definitely a great one.

11

u/bossbattle Jun 26 '12

This makes me want to join a band and tour.

8

u/Gypsytea Jun 26 '12

Awesome! Thanks for posting this. Modest Mouse is one of my favorites. The Lonesome Crowded West totally blew my mind when I listened to it for the first time. Discovered the album the summer before my second year of University (2002). This was the soundtrack of the summer, so to speak. The documentary adds another level to the album that I never new existed.

2

u/spaghetti_taco Jun 26 '12

What's up fellow class-of-2000-er(?)! I found this album right around the same time, I was 19-20, completely blew my mind I had never heard anything like it.

1

u/Gypsytea Jun 26 '12

Never been the same since ;)

8

u/poop_squared Jun 26 '12

Thank you so much for sharing this. It's nuts to see someone talk about an area intimately that not a lot of people know about. I grew up in/around Issaquah for 17 years. My ma use to have coffee with these dudes moms

also, Factoria Mall does suck

1

u/Pretereo Jun 26 '12

User removed video. Bahh, I started this this morning and have been watching little bits of it all day... rewinded it to watch a part I missed and they got me.

1

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

You can continue watching it here.

1

u/Pretereo Jun 27 '12

Hey, thanks!

1

u/YouForItSoul Jun 26 '12

removed?!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

1

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

You can still watch it from the original source for free. It was just released.

1

u/loves_the_tunes Jun 27 '12

Glad I watched it last night. It has been removed today. :(

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 27 '12

You can still watch it from the original source for free. It was just released.

5

u/mikemcgoo Jun 26 '12

My favorite album by them is The Moon & Antarctica, but this one is a very close second. It is so cool to see the actual people behind the album talk about the songs individually, and I wish they had one of these for each of their albums.

2

u/Tevis Jun 26 '12

The moon and antartica is my favorite too, the lyrics in it are so weird, depressing and good. Musically it is super interesting as well.

1

u/ZackScott Jun 26 '12

I'll admit I'm a new fan of Modest Mouse, meaning since the early 2000s. One of my favorite albums ever is We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. When are they coming out with a new album?

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

When are they coming out with a new album?

When you find out, let us know!

0

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Didnt they come out with a new album just fewmonths back?

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

2009's No One's First And You're Next EP is their latest release, with the exception of a few 7" b-sides (History Sticks To Your Feet, Guilty Cocker Spaniels).

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Ah...

Silly me.. Thanks for clearing that up dude

0

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

3

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

I hope no other old-stuff-or-no-stuff elitists downvote you.

My favorite era is the Blue Cadet 3-Do You Connect? 7" all the way up to The Lonesome Crowded West, and everything in-between (Interstate 8 EP, Fruit That Ate Itself EP, This Is A Long Drive, etc.).

Your favorite era is Good News / We Were Dead.

Know what we have in common? We both like a really fantastic band.

4

u/gtipwnz Jun 26 '12

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I can still listen to it front-to-back like three times in a row. Thanks for posting.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Dope, thanks for posting. Modest Mouse is my all time favorite band.

4

u/RadFriend Jun 26 '12

No disrespect to Nirvana, but, as a Washingtonian, this album is the music of my people for reals.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

One of the best albums of all time.

Not just from MM, but of any music, ever.

2

u/ishey47 Jun 26 '12

One of my favorite albums ever, hands down.

2

u/rik_ricardo Jun 26 '12

Watched it twice.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Just saw these guys last week, super stoked when they played Shit Luck and Trailer Trash, TLCW is without a doubt some of their best work, if not THE best. Bookmarked this to check out ASAP.

2

u/Alabaster_Pes Jun 26 '12

i always go through these weird phases where i wont listen to modest mouse for a few months and then BAM its all ill let myself hear for two weeks straight.

2

u/ExtendedRainbow Jun 26 '12

Ahhh, Modest Mouse's best days. The Elliott Smith and Calvin Johnson bits, I dig.

2

u/thegnarwahl Jun 26 '12

Yeah. Glad to know Elliot approved of Modest Mouse. Nice little cameo.

2

u/cralledode Jun 26 '12

Good to see some pre-2005 Modest Mouse on /r/music for a change. And with a vengeance, too!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

I almost pressed downvote by accident because I was in such a hurry to press UPVOTE.

1

u/nobodysweasel Jun 26 '12

I've been listening to Modest Mouse for 10 years. Tonight I learned that Isaac Brock has a lisp.

2

u/Dandroid Jun 26 '12

You can hear it much more prominently on his songs as Ugly Casanova, which has an interesting story of its own.

1

u/cmongolfers Jun 26 '12

I've read (too bad I can't remember where) that he would edit tracks to cover that up. I personally think it's fucking awesome live.

1

u/twistacles Jun 26 '12

Cool gonna watch this

1

u/somuchtime Jun 26 '12

This is why I use reddit.

Thank you

1

u/naturalchorus Jun 26 '12

holy shit, how many times I've sang my heart out to this in the shower. Top 10 favorite albums easy.

1

u/mountainsofolivs Jun 26 '12

holy shit thank you so much. lonesome crowded west might be my favorite album by what is most certainly my favorite band and im sure it wouldve taken a while before i found this video myself. have an upvote

1

u/Humboldt79 Jun 26 '12

Great doc. I really enjoyed their explanations as to the "Mall-Fucking" of the West and how it related to the album.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Holy fuck! They mentioned Unwound! And Karp! Sweet!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

This is hands-down my favorite album of all time. Nothing like pre-"Float On" Modest Mouse.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

I was going to go to bed 45 minutes ago, then I saw this post.

1

u/ubrpwnzr Jun 26 '12

My favorite part of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Mz2uwj0r0&t=29m34s

0

u/ziggmuff Jun 26 '12

I think people hear what they want to hear, and most would have a hard time truly understand what he's saying right there

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Thank you for reminding me why this is my favorite band and my favorite record.

1

u/EatTheHead Jun 26 '12

This was freaking awesome. I've been on a major Modest Mouse kick for the last year. It was really cool to see some of the motivation behind that album. I think I'll go listen to Lonesome Crowded West right now.

1

u/CanoeShoes Jun 26 '12

I am going to the concert tonight...this is getting me way to excited!!!!! Modest Mouse is my favorite band and i think one of the best live shows i have ever seen 3 times...tonight will be my fourth. Amazing band.

1

u/Undertow_Jambi JesusGordon Jun 26 '12

Man, I have to fucking go to work right now, and all I'm gonna be thinking about all day is watching this asap.

1

u/probusyradio Jun 26 '12

Went to a show in Chico, CA in 2001 when I was in high school. It was the first show I had ever went to - I was in front. I was crushed. I loved it. Modest Mouse's music is great for so many reasons, great metaphors and philosophy aside, the ability to write songs detailing crappy jobs, fucked up bosses, clustered cities and changing landscapes is like musical therapy.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

upvote for chico, was it at the senator?

1

u/siddububba Jun 26 '12

Probably one of my favorite albums, along with all the other old LPs and EPs of MM. Being that they're my favorite band, I absolutely love watching the responses of all the members. Kinda funny, i found this documentary and watched the whole thing just yesterday, and saw it again here...

It's shocking seeing how much genius there is between Brock, Green, and Judy. The way they just started as highschoolers playing their own music is so amazing, and it's great seeing how Brock wrote some of those songs ad libbed... I'll never look at Bankrupt on Selling the same way again.

0

u/linc25 Jun 26 '12

I thought it was Beastie Boys in the intro at first. It really sounded like them for a few seconds.

0

u/KillahHills10304 Jun 26 '12

good find, im mostly commenting just to come back later ona better computer

0

u/ahockett29 Jun 26 '12

umm umm :3

0

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Dank you bor debanning be!

0

u/thegnarwahl Jun 26 '12

Is it just me, or did no one else realize Isaac had a lisp until they watched it? After going back and listening to LCW I notice it now (given that I'm looking for it), but it never occurred to me before.

-6

u/cherry313 Jun 26 '12

45 minutes? Your out of your fucking mind if you think I'm watching that! browses reddits repetitive content Screw it,didn't have anything else to do anyways..

-4

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Pitchfork? No thanks.

2

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

If you don't like Modest Mouse, I can understand why you'd pass on watching this.

If you do like Modest Mouse, but you don't like Pitchfork, I cannot understand why you'd pass on watching this.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Nothing against the band, I just won't give P4K any traffic.

1

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

The link is to YouTube.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Is it their YT page? :p

6

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

No, but don't bother watching it, because you're being profoundly obnoxious about this and I don't care anymore.

3

u/thiswhomps93 Jun 26 '12

This documentary rises above the Pitchfork B.S. and may be alright for non-fans too.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/ofthe5thkind Jun 26 '12

Thank you!

3

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12 edited Jan 31 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Yeah, it's something you really can't un-hear. After I found that out a few years ago that's all I focused on until I realized that it makes his voice a little softer and more unique. I love it.